[Antigen-specific immunotherapy as a component of combined therapy for malignant brain tumors]

The purpose of the present research was to study immunity in the course of complex treatment for malignant gliomas of the brain and to evaluate extracorporeal antigen-specific immunotherapy (EASIT), a pilot procedure which was carried out according to an approved protocol. Initially, lowered HLA-DR+ monocyte count and in vitro inhibition of proliferative activity were reported in all patients. Inductive EASIT started in early postoperative period aborted immune disturbances caused by surgery. In 1998-2000, the procedure was performed in 33 patients with anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) (20) and glioblastoma (GB) (13). Mean dose of cell infusion was 2.43(0.18 x 109/patient and was well tolerated. There are 22 survivors and 9 patients died (GB--4 and AA--5; overall mortality--29%). Mean relapse-free survival was 14.2 mo (22); stable remission during 12-18 mo--37.5% (3/8)(GB) and 64% (9/14) (AA) Complete rehabilitation of immunity was generally reported 12 mo after the course of EASIT. Hence, complex treatment (surgery + EASIT) enhanced its efficacy in the management of brain tumors.

[Surgical sepsis. Part I. Immunologic markers of systemic inflammatory reaction]

The aim of the work was to develop accessible methods of laboratory diagnosis of the systemic inflammatory reaction, based on an assessment of biological (inflammatory and immunosuppressive) activity of serum of surgical sepsis patients (n = 104). The investigation has shown that surgical sepsis patients are characterized by marked immune dysfunctions, immunosuppressive bioactivity of blood serum being detected in most patients (in 65.6%) beginning from the earliest stages of the development of the sepsis process. It was found that in patients with dominating suppressive activity of serum the immune disturbances were more pronounced and in every second case they were of combined type. The authors propose to use the degree of the immunosuppressive potential of serum factors as the key classification sign determining the presence of CARS-positive or CARS-negative phenotype in such patients. The results obtained suggest that it is expedient for complex therapy of surgical sepsis to include immunocorrection aimed at the weakening of immunosuppresive action of antiinflammatory mediators and shift of the balance towards the reinforcement of activity of proinflammatory ones (IL-12, IL-1) and Th-1 cytokines (IL-2, IFN-g).

[Characteristics and immunologic changes in patients with malignant brain tumors]

The investigation was concerned with assaying immunity and evaluating the role played by monocytes and tumor cells in the formation of T-cell dysfunction in malignant glioma (MG). The study group included 28 patients with anaplastic astrocytomas (n = 18) and glioblastomas (n = 10). MG patients showed significant changes in the numbers of CD16+ NK-cells and HLA-DR monocytes as well as lowered levels of HLA-DR expression on monocytes and proliferative response of T-lymphocytes as compared with both standard and alternative pathways of activation. Monocytes and macrophages suppressed T-cell activity due to production of prostaglandins E2 in such patients. Enhanced immunosuppression was also reported in 24-hour supernatants of tumor cells. Immune disorders were shown to involve apoptosis-independent mechanisms. Hence, despite the immune privilege of the brain, immunocompetent cells crossed blood-brain barrier and counteracted with tumor cells. As a consequence, monocyte function and cellular cooperation dropped while production of immunosuppressive factors rose, and T-cell dysfunction was brought about through apoptosis-independent mechanisms.